Stretcher



A rifi 19, 1949.

Filed Feb. 25, 1946 c. COOPER 2,467,522

STRETCHER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTO R N EY Patented Apr. 19, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

1 Claim.

This invention relates to stretchers and more particularly to stretchers upon which may be secured a material to be stretched and dried without wrinkles or creases.

One of the objects of this invention is the provision of an adjustable frame adapted to accommodate materials of various sizes which are to be stretched.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a stretcher whose various parts may be disassembled and arranged in a compact manner for storage or shipping.

Other objects and features will more fully appear from the following description and accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the stretcher; Fig. 2 a fragmentary perspective view; Fig. 3 a fragmentary sectional perspective; and Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7, sectional views respectively taken along lines 4, 5, 6, and I of Fig. 2 in direction of arrows.

Referring to the drawings the embodiment of the invention comprises a frame designated by the reference numeral I.

Rails 2, 3, 4 and 5 form the frame, and each rail has a plurality of pins 6 respectively mounted in alignment on the topsides thereof, and are spaced equally apart in uniform fashion. As is well known in the art of stretching, the pins are adapted to anchor the material to be stretched. The rails are respectively provided with a groove 1 disposed in the inside thereof, and extending throughout their respective lengths.

Brackets 8, 9, l and II are respectively formed by arms l2. The arms of each bracket are secured together in right angle fashion by angle irons I 3. Each arm of said bracket is respectively provided with a tongue M which is keyed in slidable fashion into groove 1 of the rail with which it is in operative relation. It is clearly obvious (see Fig. 2) that the brackets prevent angular displacement with respect to the frame.

In each arm of the angle irons I 3 is respectively disposed an aperture I (see Fig. 7) in which is mounted, in threadable fashion, a bolt l6 substantially housed in a pocket II in said arm. A wing-nut I8 is secured to the free end of said bolt by a set screw l9; while a ball and socket joint 20 connects with the other end and a brake 2| connects with said socket and is adapted for engagement with the basal portion of said groove with which it is in operative relation so as to prevent lateral displacement between said bracket and rail.

By referring to Fig. 2, it is obvious that rail 2 is secured in tongue and groove fashion and in a slidable manner to one of the arms of brackets 8 and 9; rail 3 to one of the arms of brackets 9-40; rail 4 to one of the arms of brackets Ill-ll and rail 5 to one of the arms of brackets H8. It will be noted that rail 2 is limited in movement in one direction by rail 5; while rail 3 is likewise limited by rail 2; so also is rail 4 limited by rail 3 and rail 5 by rail 4.

As has been hereinbefore stated; movement between the brackets and rails is prevented by forcing the respective brakes against the basal portions of the rails; thus providing a fixed and stable frame.

The device operates as follows: By looking the arm of bracket 9 (see Fig. 3) which is tongue and grooved to rail 3 and moving brackets 8-9 away from brackets Ill-l l, rail 2 is thus moved in a direction away from rail 4, and by locking the arm of bracket l0, which is tongue and grooved to rail 4, and moving brackets 9l 0 away from brackets 8-|l rail 3 is thus moved away from rail 5. In this manner the frame may be increased to any desired size within its structural limits. To decrease the size of the frame (see Fig. 2) the brakes are released and rails 3-5 are moved toward each other; while rails 2-4 are likewise actuated.

It is obvious from the foregoing that within the structural limits of this invention a stretcher is provided whereby it may be adjusted to various size materials to be stretched. It is to be understood that the device may be made of any suitable material, and the brackets made of one piece and bolts mounted in threadable fashion therein.

Having described this invention, what is claimed is:

In a stretching device of the character described, a frame comprising a plurality of rails having dove-tail grooves along the inner sides thereof, and a plurality of angular bracket devices having elongated dove-tail tongues on their outer sides adapted to be interfitted with said grooves in the rails, one end of each rail being free and the other end thereof being adapted to bear directly upon the inner side of one of the other rails, each of said bracket devices being constructed of a pair of arms arranged at right REFERENCES CITED angles to each other and provided with said dove- The following references are of record in the tail tongues on their outer sides, their inner sides file Of this Patent:

being plane, an angle iron connecting each of said 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS pair of arms and resting on the plane sides of such arms, and locking bolts mounted on each Number Name e angle iron passing through said pair of arms and 993,519 (3111911 May 30, 1 cooperating with the rails adjacent thereto, 1,920,573 go Aug. 1, 1933 whereby each of said pair of arms is adapted to 10 2,053,465 v s Sept. 8, 36

be adjustably locked relative to its adjacent rail,

and whereby a very rigid joint is provided between the angular bracket devices and adjacent rails. LULA CRUMP COOPER. 

